Submission to the Productivity Commission's Philanthropy Inquiry

In consultation with our members, Baptist Care Australia has provided a submission to the Productivity Commission's Philanthropy Inquiry.

Our submission addressed the information requests 1-5 and 7, with key points illustrated by case studies from across our member network.

We provide insight into the connection between today's Baptist social service agencies and the faith-based 'philanthropy' that underpinned their foundation, and conclude that philanthropy remains a vital aspect of the operation and viability of charities in Australia as they work to create a better society.

Key points of the Baptist Care Australia submission include:

• Reaffirming the role of philanthropy as a complement to government funding of core supports and services, and as a valuable contribution to the wider public good.
• Reinforcing the value of Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status for our members and encouraging the Commission to recommend it is expanded to all charities registered with the ACNC.
• Explaining why these tax concessions are essential to the viability of our members and describing how it helps them to overcome certain disadvantages not faced by private companies.